(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Members are urging New York State Legislators to Fix Tier 6.

As New York State budget negotiations got underway, CSEA and other Public Unions called for positive reforms to the Pension System in the final budget.

CSEA Members participated in rallies and sent thousands of e-mails to urge Legislators to support the reforms as Tier 6 has made Public Sector jobs less attractive and has also made it harder for State and Local Governments to recruit and retain Workers.

CSEA President Mary Sullivan said: “We are struggling to recruit and retain Staff and CSEA Members are working a lot of overtime due to understaffing.  Our pensions were once a major reason that Workers took public jobs and stayed at them, but Tier Six has fewer benefits than the other tiers.  Under Tier Six, Employees are less likely to take a job in the Public Sector - and, if they do, are less likely to stay.”

CSEA helped achieve positive changes to Tier 6 in 2022 through Members’ phone calls, e-mails and meetings with State Legislators, but now its time to build on these changes to make Tier 6 a fair pension plan, Union Representatives said.

Throughout the State, CSEA Members have made their voices heard.

In Albany, CSEA Capital Region Members joined other Union Members, allies and Lawmakers for an early March rally at the New York State Capitol’s Million Dollar Staircase in support of improving Tier 6 benefits.

During that rally, speakers shared stories of the impact of inequity between Workers in various tiers and demanded the right to a dignified retirement for all.

Many pointed out Public Workers’ shortages and high vacancy rates are only exacerbated by the watered-down benefits that are currently in place for Tier 6 Workers who pay more, work longer and get less in retirement.

CSEA Capital Region President Shana Davis, who attended the rally, worries what message is being sent to current and future Employees: “The future of our State Workforce depends on tier reforms.  Workers in Tier Six are required to pay more to invest in their own careers, but where is the investment in employees?”

To Directly Access This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: CSEA members push for positive pension reforms (cseany.org)